The Cleaning Lady Review: The Lion’s Den (Season 1 Episode 2)
On The Cleaning Lady Season 1 Episode 2, “The Lion’s Den,” Thony realizes what she’s gotten herself into and searches for a way out.
Even though “The Lion’s Den” is, of course, the regular length of a television show on cable, this episode feels like you could blink and miss it.
The episode’s pacing isn’t drastically off. Still, there is a noticeable difference between everything being placed thoroughly in The Cleaning Lady Season 1 Episode 1 “TNT,” whereas here, it feels just a bit rushed.
Sister, Sister
Martha Millan makes her presence as Fiona known on “The Lion’s Den” as she faces the dilemma of possibly being deported. Fiona fears for herself, her children, and for Thony.
The most upsetting thing about the entire ordeal is that it’s not impossible, or even uncommon, for raids to happen in the middle of a workday.
The FBI lets Fiona and Thony know that they want their cooperation, and they’re not involved with ICE or reporting them — because law enforcement is so trustworthy amongst undocumented people.
Fiona tells her son that he’s also undocumented, that she didn’t make it to the US in time to have him. Opportunities are snatched from his hands as quickly as they land there, and witnessing them both process the fallout is heartbreaking.
Doctor, Who Is Going to Help My Dying Kid?
After not being able to get a hold of the man who usually supplies Luca’s medication, Thony becomes desperate and takes Luca to Arman in person, as he’s in a crucial meeting.
The severity of the situation is never lost, and Thony’s actions further prove how far she’s willing to go to save her son.
Eventually, Arman’s doctor agrees to treat Luca by some miracle, and Thony must face how close she came to losing him. Thony and Fiona speak over the phone about losing their sons in different ways, and at this moment, we see how good Elodie Yung and Martha Millan are together.
Garrett Miller, Agent Benchwarmer
On “The Lion’s Den,” we meet Garrett, an FBI agent who questions Thony as she holds his daughter and later pressures Fiona into speaking to him because he knows she’s undocumented. Charming.
We know nearly nothing about Garrett, but we do know that he was benched recently for “indiscretion,” and he must have someone with him when interviewing female suspects or witnesses.
Hey, uh, what? I don’t know many people in the FBI, but that seems like something pretty severe to be benched for, especially considering that if his boss were to find out he could be benched again almost immediately.
He proceeds to follow Thony and Arman as they get into Arman’s flashy car instead of pursuing quite literally anything else. It’s clear that this man is bad news for anyone around him, and it will be intriguing to learn more about his background.
Stray Thoughts:
- Luca saying he forgot to tell someone that he started coughing felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. Poor kid.
- It’s 2022, and we still have captions like “speaking Armenian” and “arguing in Spanish?” Y’all, just translate it.
- Arman making it known that the dancer at the club has a name and is a person is a very insignificant thing in the grand scheme, but it’s yet another hint that Arman just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time circumstance wise.
—
What did you think of this episode of The Cleaning Lady? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
The Cleaning Lady airs Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Laura Wanberg
Laura is a homebody who loves everything about TV. Some of her favorite shows include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Parks and Recreation, and The Morning Show. With her ever-growing list of new shows to watch and books to read, her favorite thing to do is to cuddle up with her cat and get lost in someone else's world.